Economic Outlook

The Investment Sector Defying A Global Pandemic

Amid a global pandemic that has collapsed more than 100,000 businesses and decimated entire sectors, one industry has ballooned to be bigger than Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and SnapChat combined.

It’s thought to be  10x bigger than the marijuana industry.

Some people think its total legal and illegal spending worldwide is approaching  $2 trillion, and it’s still growing strong in complete defiance of the pandemic.

Welcome to the global sports betting industry, where merger mania is creating crisis-resistant powerhouses.

And as sportsbooks are still pulling in tens of millions of dollars every month during the pandemic, one off-the-radar consolidation play offers some real opportunities:

The first phase of the growing online gaming and sports betting industry was all about getting the tech right. The second phase is about bringing it all together.

A pioneer early entrant leader in sports betting technology is hitting Phase II hard, with major acquisitions…CLICK for complete article

E-Commerce Explodes As Boomers Go Digital

Things like test-driving, touching the fruit before you buy it, or even trying on clothes prior to purchase won’t be so important from here on out, thanks to a lockdown that has seen millions of Americans forced to work and stay at home to halt the advance of COVID-19 (rather unsuccessfully, it would seem).  During this time of lockdown, however, everyone–not just the younger generations–have used their spare time to hone online shopping skills.

That’s led to a wild uptick in ecommerce.

Amazon is still a leader in it, Walmart and Target are also catching up in online sales. But even the auto industry has now embraced digital platforms and ecommerce. It turns out, all it took to get people to buy cars sight unseen was a guarantee that they can return it (contactless) within a certain number of days, no strings attached.

New data from eMarketer estimates that more than 204 million people ages 14 and older will make an online purchase in 2020.

But the real disruptor for traditional retail is this bit of data: Two-thirds of those online shoppers will be 45 and older–an age group that hasn’t until now really taken to the idea that much.

The updated forecast, which factors in the pandemic’s effects, anticipates a 5.8% increase in the number of digital buyers 45 and older, up from 3.2%. This equates to nearly 5 million new users…CLICK for complete article

Big Fat Idea – Too Soon for Real Estate?


Justin Smith of Hawkeye Wealth joined Michael on the weekend to discuss the state of the real estate market in the CoronaCrisis? What is he recommending for his investors? Are there deals to had yet? What sectors is he watching?

Multi-unit housing starts up in some parts of Canada in April despite COVID-19

OTTAWA – Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says construction of multi-unit housing projects remained strong in some provinces last month despite the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

CMHC estimates a 10.8 per cent month-over-month increase in its national seasonally adjusted annual rate last month compared with March, excluding…click for full article.

TSX Stocks: Why This Investment Strategy Could Make a Comeback

Value investing is one style that could come back into fashion with a bang this year. Value stocks have been in the bargain basement of the investment world for some time now. The bull market didn’t support them, and the market crash just pushed them further down. The ratio of value to growth stock popularity is now as low as it was two decades ago. That said, thing could be about to change.

Gold stocks in particular could come roaring back. While they’ve remained resilient during the market crash, many miners of the precious metal are still undervalued. Earnings season is going to be of particular interest to long-term investors.

It’s likely to be a rough quarter across the board, further depressing share prices, which in turn could help draw interest in beaten-up quality names. CLICK for complete article